City official returns to private sector

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

A city administrator who headed three different departments under Mayor Jeremy Harris announced yesterday that he is resigning at the end of the month to take a job with a management company.

FUJIKI

Fujiki, 52, said he had been recruited for several jobs this year and took the management company's offer seriously because he had assumed that he would be leaving the city post when Harris resigned to run for governor. However, Harris dropped out of the campaign in May.

"This firm has grown and they really approached me with some very interesting work," he said. "This would be a good challenge for me in my career."

Fujiki, who also wants to spend more time with his family, joined the city administration in 1994 as head of the Building Department, moving over to lead the Department of Design and Construction in 1998 and the Department of Planning and Permitting in 2000.

Referring to such projects as the community vision team program, the Central O'ahu Regional Park, the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Park and the Kuhio Beach Restoration, he said, "Those are landmark achievements that will last a lifetime and I am very proud to have been a part of."

Loretta Chee, Fujiki's deputy, who has been with the city for 44 years, will become acting director. City spokeswoman Carol Costa said Chee was offered the position permanently, but declined for personal reasons. The city has already started the search process for Fujiki's replacement, Costa said.

Fujiki's departure comes just three months after the resignation of Caroll Takahashi, who led the city's Department of Budget and Fiscal Services. Takahashi left the post to care for her ailing father.

Both Fujiki and Takahashi last month were called to testify before an investigative O'ahu grand jury looking into whether city contracts were awarded in exchange for contributions to Mayor Jeremy Harris' political campaign. Fujiki said that the investigation had nothing to do with his decision to leave the administration. "I really enjoy working with all the good people in the city and also with the mayor and the administration," he said.

In a statement issued yesterday, Harris applauded Fujiki and his work.

"During Randy's tenure with the city, he has transformed the bureaucratic and regulatory orientation for the departments he oversaw and focused on improving customer service, developing our one-stop permitting centers and Internet permit tracking, opening up community involvement in government and always stressing design excellence," Harris said.

Harris said Fujiki was a catalyst for the city's vision team program. "He has also been at the forefront in our sustainability efforts, especially the retrofitting of energy management systems in city facilities."

"Randy has earned national recognition for both Honolulu and himself during his eight years of city service. We thank him for his contributions and wish him well as he returns to the private sector."

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.